1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus, and, in particular, to an imaging apparatus capable of combining a plurality of captured images.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there has been a technique of realizing multiple exposure shooting by adding a plurality of digital image signals. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-69888 discusses a technique related to shooting processing using a multiple exposure function of generating a single image through a plurality of exposures. According to the technique discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-69888, image data of each frame stored in an image memory is combined with each other by averaging processing, and the result thereof is stored in the image memory. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-125266 discusses a technique for displaying a combined image of an already captured image and a through-the-lens image, and allowing a user to perform multiple exposure shooting after confirming the position where an object is combined. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-102263 discusses a technique for combining an image captured by preliminary shooting and a through-the-lens image to display the combined image, and stopping the display of the combined image upon a start of automatic focus (AF) processing in response to half-pressing of a shutter button to start a display showing only the through-the-lens image.
During the multiple exposure shooting as discussed in the above-described patent documents, Japanese Patent Applications Laid-Open No. 2003-69888 and No. 2003-125266, if a displayed image can be switched from a combined image to only a through-the-lens image in response to half-pressing of the shutter button as discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-102263, it is helpful for a user to check a focus adjustment state at the time of the AF processing. However, in this case, the user cannot check the composition, i.e., in what kind of composition an image to be shot now will be combined with the already captured image, after the AF processing is completed and immediately before shooting by fully pressing the shutter button. Therefore, if the user wants to check the composition of the combined image, the user needs to release the shutter button first, and then repeat the AF processing to shoot an image after adjusting the composition, which requires a bothersome operation to the user.